Tears of Yesterday
by Azlyna Flynne
Summary: A figure from Charlie's past is out on parole. By a stunning coincidence, he robs Charlie's house and finds a man he only met once fifteen years before. Don shows up and Charlie's fears are confirmed. ONSHOT! Story better than summary. R


A/N: This story is based on a poem that my cousin Nicole wrote, and I had to write it into a fic. The poem isn't specifically about the topic discussed in this story, but it's open to interpretation, and this was my interpretation. Please tell me if ya like it.

P.S. I'll put the poem after the story for those interested.

Dedicated to: My cousin and good friend, Nicole aka Queen of Cliffies (I finally remember her pen-name!). Thanks for showing me the awesomeness of Numb3rs girl! Miss ya to death!

...Azzy...

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Charlie looked behind his shoulder uneasily, there was an odd feeling that he just couldn't shake off. Like someone was watching him, observing his every move. It was one of those times he'd love it if his older brother was with him. Don had a way of making him feel safe. He didn't know if it was the fact Don was a federal agent, or the fact Don had saved him from several school bullies in his childhood. Whatever the reason, he wished Don was there now.

He shut the blinds of his living room and flicked on the t.v. anything to calm his nerves. Unfortunately the only thing that was on was the news (covering a series of home robberies lately) and crime shows with shootouts. The doorbell rang and Charlie froze, it could be his brother, but why the hell would Don knock? His father wouldn't knock and he'd told Amita and Larry they didn't have to. Somewhat warily, he got up from his position on the couch and headed for the door.

What he found waiting for him was exactly what he didn't want to see. Just as he reached the door it swung open, revealing an unfamiliar man with a semi-automatic pistol held firm in one of his hands, "Alright, hands in the air," the man spoke quickly, "You know the drill."

Charlie slowly raised his hands and backed up into his house as the man entered his home, looking around interestedly, "I don't want any trouble. Just take what you want and leave, okay?"

"Shut up! I make the rules," the man snapped at him and motioned to the kitchen, "In there, go on." Charlie didn't speak, only obeyed the man's words. Silently he stepped into the kitchen and waited for the intruder to spit out more commands. "Sit down, that chair, right there." He pointed to the chair and watched intently as Charlie sat down.

He pulled a pile of rope from the duffel bag he held in one of his hands. Sticking his gun into the back of his his pants, he walked up to the younger man. Charlie shot out of the chair, trying to grab at the gun, but the man simply pushed him back down with alot of force. "Thought you didn't want any trouble?" The man sniggered as he took the gun back out from his pants and pointed it at him. With a grin, he smashed the butt onto Charlie's forehead, just hard enough to stun him.

Still wearing a smile, he bound the other man to the chair tightly, then stood back to admire his handiwork, "What's your name?" He asked quietly and added as an afterthought, "Your full name."

Charlie looked up at him from where he was slumped over in the chair, "C-Charlie... Eppes."

The man's smile broadened, "So it's Charlie-Baby, little brother of federal agent extraordinaire Don Eppes." Charlie just stared, afraid to answer and beginning to put together what the hell this was all about. The man hadn't known who he was at first, so it obviously wasn't planned, but he knew Don, and he knew about Charlie. And he was calling Charlie by a nickname that only one man called him, a man he never wanted to see again.

"You don't know who I am do you?" The man asked with a smile, "An old friend of Don's... and yours. But anyway, I came here for money and food, not idle chitchat. Stay quiet while I do my thing and you may get out of this alive."

Charlie nodded, unspeaking and watched as the man went upstair to rifle through his and his father's belongings. When the man was out of sight he started to struggle pulling at the ropes that bit into his wrists. As he pulled, he just made them tighter and tighter, until he could swear he couldn't feel his hands anymore.

He heard the doorknob turn and he prayed that it was Don coming, and that his brother would stop the man who'd done this. He sure hoped his wasn't his father.. or his girlfriend.

The door opened slowly and whoever it was stepped inside, calling, "Charlie, Dad, you guys home?"

"Kitchen," Charlie called back hoarsely, "Be quiet."

Don walked into the kitchen cautiously and found his baby brother tied to a kitchen chair, a trail of blood leading down from his temple, "Buddy? Are you alright?" He asked anxiously, taking his brother's face in his hands to inspect the injury better.

"M'fine," Charlie told him quietly, "Just untie me."

Don nodded quickly and walked around his brother and set to untying the tight knots, but as soon as his fingers touched the rope a voice spoke, "Oh no Eppes. Step away from him right now or you'll be untying a corpse."

Don stood up and stepped away from his brother, raising his hands in the air defensively. He squinted at the man for a short moment, "Mac? Mac Broden?"

"Well done Eppes, you remembered your old friend Broden," he smiled, still aiming the gun straight at Charlie's head.

Charlie's eyes were wide in fear, who he thought the man was had been confirmed, "No... I haven't seen him since... since..." He swallowed thickly as he tried to calm the panic rising in his chest, "since I was 16."

"And I was hoping you'd never have to see the bastard again," Don added, glaring at Broden, "I see they granted you parole."

"Stupidest thing they ever did, wasn't it Eppes?" Broden sniggered, looking at Charlie, "I bet you missed me, didn't you Charlie-Baby."

"Don't speak to my brother," Don spat at him angrily, "You have no right."

"At the moment, I have the right to do whatever I want," Broden grinned at him, "I'm the one holding a gun on your baby brother. So I want you to toss me your gun, ever so lightly over to me, and then handcuff your hands behind your back. Got it?"

Don obeyed angrily, tossing the gun towards Broden before taking his cuffs and securing his hands behind his back, "Happy now?"

"Very," Broden grinned and looked to Charlie, "You got kids yet Charlie-Baby?" Charlie shook his head slowly and Broden frowned, "How unfortunate. I was hoping to have some fun, you're a bit old for my taste now."

"Thank God," Charlie mumbled to himself, thinking of the day around fifteen years ago. He didn't want a repeat of that night, when even Don had been unable to save him. Don had been new in the bureau, just out of Quantico...

**Charlie left the lecture hall, yawning as he walked toward his dormatory quietly. He had a little over a month and then he'd have his third Ph.D. The very thought made him grin, another month and the teaching job CalSci had reserved for him was his finally. He just got to his door when he decided that he wanted to go out and eat. He didn't care where, he just wanted to get out of the university.**

**The fresh air greeted his nostrils with a happy hello as he strolled along the sidewalk, heading towards a restaurant he often ate at. His mom used to go there with him when he'd first started going to college, but he was older now and had convinced his mom he could take care of himself.**

**Lost in thought, he barely heard the driver of the blue Toyota calling to him at first, but soon his head cleared and he looked at the driver, "Hey kid!" The man, about thirty or thirty-five called at him.**

**"Uh huh? Sorry, lost in a train of thought," Charlie offered him a smile and the man smiled back from his car.**

**"You need a ride kid? Looks like it's going to rain soon," the man said and Charlie looked at him worriedly, he knew he wasn't supposed to get into cars with strangers, it had been shoved in his head since he was three years old.**

**"I don't think so," Charlie told him, trying to be polite, "I'm okay to walk."**

**"Kid, I'm just trying to save ya from getting soaked," the man replied slightly angrily, "Guess that's what you get for trying to help a kid."**

**Charlie felt bad, guilty for upsetting the man, "Actually, I guess I could use a ride." He said carefully, "It's just a few blocks down."**

**"Alright Kid," the man smiled, "hop on in, ma name's Mac."**

**"I'm Charlie," he said as he slowly climbed into the car, still feeling as if he were making a mistake, but he really didn't want to offend Mac.**

**They drove for a little bit and Mac started talking to him, "So Charlie-Baby, shouldn't you be in school or something Kid?"**

**"I just got out of a lecture," Charlie told him, feeling uncomfortable with the name Mac had bestowed upon him.**

**"A lecture? You in college Kid? You look a little young for that," Mac observed with as grin, "You some kind of genius."**

**"I dunno, I guess," Charlie answered, still feeling increasingly uncomfortable, "Umm, the restaurant I'm going to is right there." He pointed but Mac just went passed it, "Mac, it's back there." He looked at him pleadingly, with wide eyes. He knew he was in BIG trouble.**

**"No worries Charlie-Baby, I know a **_much_** better place for us to eat," Mac replied easily and it was then Charlie realized he was being kidnapped.**

**"No! I want to get out," Charlie yelled at him suddenly, "Let me out, I wanna go home." He was about to struggle with the door, but realized the handle had been broken off.**

**Mac put his free hand on Charlie's upper thigh, "Stop worrying Charlie-Baby, it'll feel good."**

**Charlie pushed the man's hand off of him and stared at Mac with horrified eyes, "No, no no no no."**

**"Don't worry Kid," Mac kept telling him, "You'll like it." He pulled into a house Charlie had never seen before. He climbed out of his side and slammed the door shut. Mac rounded to the other side and pulled the teenager out of the passenger's seat, "C'mon Charlie-Baby," he whispered as he dragged the protesting boy into his house.**

**"No, I don't want to," Charlie tried to pull away from him. He kicked out at Mac, but the man didn't seem to feel the blows at all. He just continued to pull him by the arm where he wanted him to go.**

**Soon they were in what had to be Mac's bedroom, "Hey Kid, you ever done it before?"**

**Charlie shook his head, tears falling down his cheeks as tried to rip himself out of Mac's iron grip, "I don't want to."**

**"You don't know what you want Charlie-Baby," Mac whispered in his ear before he pushed him roughly onto the bed.**

Charlie blinked, trying to clear the tears from his eyes that came from the memory. Don looked at him sympathetically, remembering how shocked he had been to learn that his first case would be his little brother's rape. Well technically it wasn't because as soon as they knew Charlie was his brother, he was yanked off the case, "Dude, just take what you want and leave. Leave my brother alone, you've hurt him enough already."

"I doubt it," Borden grinned at Charlie. "I've got a number of your valuables, but I'm still not satisfied. And now that I think about it, Charlie-Baby might not be too old for me after all." He looked at Don and gave him a sinister look, "Whaddya say Kid? Up for a second go?"

"No," Charlie shook his head vigorously, hoping and praying the events wouldn't be repeated.

"You won't touch him!" Don yelled him, he went to pull his hands out and lunge at Borden, but he'd forgotten his hands were cuffed. Borden just walked up to him, dug around in Don's pocket for the keys to the cuffs and forced the agent to his knees.

"I'll do whatever I want," Borden replied, pulling out his gun, "Just be thankful that I've decided against it. I'll be leaving you now, but I don't want anyone coming after me. You got a basement Charlie-Baby?"

Charlie nodded silently, thankful that it seemed Mac wasn't going to repeat the past. Mac grabbed Don by the arm and lifted him back onto his feet, "Alright Don, lead me to the basement and I'll bring the Kid down after."

"What are you going to do?" Don asked, his eyes boring into Mac's trying to make him uncomfortable, but it wasn't working.

"Calm down Don," Borden rolled his eyes, "I just don't want the two of you calling for help. I want to be halfway to the border by the time anybody finds you." Don stared at him angrily, but led him to the basement, hoping the man wasn't lying. Once in the basement, Mac threw Don to the floor, "I'll be back in a second, don't worry, it won't take long."

It didn't, in less then three minutes, Charlie was beside his brother, hands bound behind him instead of to the chair. And his ankles had been tied together as well. Mac had carried him down and thrown him on the floor and Don noticed that his brother winced outwardly, "You okay Buddy?" Don questioned quietly,

Charlie nodded, "I'm fine Don, twisted my ankle trying to escape. I just want for this to end." He sighed softly, "I thought I was over it, I guess I'm not.

"You were Charlie, but when someone who hurt you comes back into your life like this, it's hard to deal," Don reassured him and looked at Borden, "You going to leave us alone now?"

Mac didn't answer him, just crouched down over Charlie, "You know Kid, it's been nice seeing you again. It brings up fond memories, doncha think?"

"Memories maybe," Charlie snapped back, "But certainly not fond ones."

Mac's eye twitched and he stood up, "Bad answer Charlie-Baby." He kicked him in a ribs a few times and once in the face for good measure, successfully knocking him out, "Byebye Charlie-Baby." He looked at Don for a moment and lifted his gun, "I know Charlie ain't going to be running up these stairs to call for help, but I got no rope left. Sorry there Don." He slipped a silencer onto the gun barrel and fired off two rounds, one into each leg.

Don struggled not to scream out in pain, and only let out a loud yelp after each shot, "Bastard! Did you really have to do that?"

"Yep, can't have sending your people after me before I want them too," Mac replied happily, "I know I could've knocked ya out too, but it was just too much fun. Bye now Don, hope someone finds you before you run out of blood."

Mac Borden left, whistling as he did and Don muttered through the pain, "Yeah me too."

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"Charlie?!" Alan yelled as he stepped through the door, "Son, are you home?"There was no answer, but he saw both Charlie's car, his bike and don's SUV in the driveway. "Donnie?!"

He heard something, a sound coming from the basement, "Hello?" He called, he walked toward the basement door and could swear he heard his eldest son calling his name. He opened the door to the stairway and heard his son's voice clearer.

"Dad, call an ambulance," Don called to him, "Quickly!"

Alan eyes widened at the comment and he rushed down the stairs as fast as his legs would take him. When he laid eyes on his two sons, an intense worry over took him, "Donnie? Oh my God, you've been shot! Are you okay? Is your brother okay?!"

"Just call the ambulance Dad," Don told him, "Can you hurry, I'd love some pain medication right about now."

Alan pulled out his cell phone and called quickly. After he hung up, he turned back to his son, "Where are the keys to those handcuffs?"

"The bastard took them," Don answered and moaned quietly, "But you can untie Charlie, it's only rope for him."

Alan looked at him for a second, "Not before I bandage those legs of yours, I can't have you bleeding to-" he stopped himself before he finished, his eyes scared. "I'm sure I had a first aid kit around here somewhere..." Alan rummaged around the basement for a second and looked trumphantly at the first aid kit he had found, "Now hold still Donnie, this is going to hurt." He helped Don into a more comfortable position, sitting up with his back against the wall.

"I figured," Don braced himself and roaned as his father tightly bandaged the gun shot wounds with gauze, "I'm fine now Dad, really, take care of Charlie."

Alan nodded and quickly set to untying his youngest son, Charlie looked pale and he had dried blood all over his face. Carefully he gathered his limp youngest son into his arms and asked Don, "What the hell happened?"

"Mac Borden happened," Don grimaced as he said the name, "He left us here about three hours ago and Charlie still hasn't woken up. Borden kicked him pretty hard."

"Mac Borden... the bastard that..." Alan trailed off, rage building in my chest, "I am going to kill him!"

"Don't worry Dad," Don tried to calm him down, "My team will take care of him. He'll be arrested again and held on trial for murder. His last robbery, he killed the wife when she fought back. Death during commision of an armed robbery, he's going away for life."

"He'd better be," Alan hissed through clenched teeth. Charlie moved a little in his arms and he calmed his voice, "Son? Charlie, it's Dad. Everything's okay now."

"Is he gone?" Charlie murmured, trying not to move since his ribs were killing him.

"He's gone," Alan assured his son and hugged him as gently as he could, "He's gone."

Siren's approached in the distance. getting closer by the second, "Good. He's a shit head." Charlie murmured, sounding alot like an angry teenager.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Don replied as the paramedics came down the stairs.

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_A week later_

"Don! Stay in that chair! You were shot in both legs, you're in no condition to walk," his father ordered him as Don tired to lift himself out of the wheelchair. One bullet had nicked the bone, but it wasn't very serious. The doctor had told him to take it easier for a few weeks and stay on desk duty for a month.

Charlie was sitting in an identical wheelchair beside him, with Amita standing behind him, hands firmly planted on the handles, "I can see why you'd want Don to be in a wheelchair, but seriously I'm fine to walk." The two of them were getting out of the hospital finally. Charlie's nose was bandaged from where Briden had broken it.

Don glared at his little brother, but Alan answered for him, "No you're not, you broke two ribs, your nose and you had a concussion. And your ankle's sprained, so don't even go there Charlie."

Charlie hung his head and mumbled, "Well I tried."

"And failed miserably," Don chuckled, but his face turned into a frown as he addressed his father, "Did Megan say if they caught him?"

"They think they're close," Alan replied solemnly, "She said he never actually left L.A. He said he was crossing the border just to throw them off."

"They'd better get him," Don muttered angrily, "I have a bone or two to pick with him."

A dark SUV pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and Megan climbed out, "Don! Charlie! I'm glad to see they're letting you out."

"Yeah, but I'm in a wheelchair, and Charlie's going to be on crutches for awhile," Don answered and looked at her seriously, "Are you taking a break from the case?"

"Oh no," Megan smiled at him, "I came to grab the witnesses to pick Borden out from a line up."

Don grinned, "Oh that I can do." He looked over to his little brother, "You up to it Buddy?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that asshole never hurts anyone else again," Charlie's eyes hardened as he said the words, "Why they gave a person like him parole in the first place... that I'll never know."

"I was at the hearing," Don spoke quietly and his brother looked at him with wide eyes, "I told the commity what he did to you, but they believed Borden when he said he'd turned over a new leaf and was sorry for what he'd done."

"Idiots," Charlie muttered.

"That's exactly what I said," Don told him, "One of the members called me yesterday to apologize... I told him to shove it."

Charlie gave him a small smile in thanks and looked at Megan, "Promise me he'll never hurt another child again, please Megan promise me." New tears came fresh to his eyes, but really they were tears from fifteen years ago, tears of days long past... tears of yesterday.

She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I will, or I'll die trying." She looked at her friend with sad eyes, and prayed that someday, Charlie could forget what happened to him. Unfortunately she knew, those tears never truly faded away; the tears of yesterday.

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A/N: Just so you all know the lines about 'tears of yesterday' are from the poem that my cousin wrote and gave me permission to use. Please review and tell me what you think. Oh yeah and here's the poem she wrote for those who are interested.

Tears of Yesterday

The past is never truly gone

the pain never truly fades

the tears are always here to stay

but they aren't those of today

they're tears of yesterday

everything that happens

builds on who I am

every tear that is shed

lingers in my heart

They are tears from my childhood

of days long past and gone

they are tears that never leave me

tears where my eyes once shone

Maybe I'm overreacting

maybe I'm just too sad

Maybe I'm a little too angry

but I guess that's just too bad

these are tears of days long past

ones that never truly fade away

the only way to describe it

is as tears of yesterday


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